The Internet of Things is rapidly picking up its pace. Connected devices are becoming an integral part of our life, and they range from highly intelligent devices to even the refrigerator at our home. With the rapid increment in connected devices, it is important than ever to design strong security protocols to ensure robust security. IoT device manufacturers must architect security solutions to prevent malicious attacks and cyber threats.

Connected devices can pose a serious threat if the security measures are left compromised. Recently, hackers have released a new range of threats in the form of botnets. A botnet is a collection of internet-connected devices, which may include mobile devices, PCs, servers and IoT devices infected and controlled by a common type of malware. Cyber criminals remotely control such Infected devices, so the operation remains hidden from the real time user. Botnets are used to generate illicit traffic, send spam message, and conduct fraud campaigns. One of the major examples of such threats is the US DDoS attack on Dyn using hacked camera and DVRs.

The creation of botnets is becoming viral; it is becoming easier for hackers to access the latest connected devices with inadequate security protocols. Amongst all, it is the Internet of Things that are commonly targeted by the hackers. There are many reasons why the IoT is vulnerable to hackers, but here are the two common reasons.

Growing Number of Connected Devices: Not every IoT devices are prone to malicious attacks, but there are plenty of unreliable devices that can make a difference. Most IoT devices are designed without keeping the security measures in mind. As predicted by Gartner, there will be more than 20 billion connected devices until 2020. Even a small percentage of this number can have a massive impact on the technical world.

User Negligence: People take the security of smart devices such as Television, automatic lights, routers and kitchen appliance for granted. Some people don’t even change the password of the devices and run them with the factory settings. And, worse they store the same password for every equipment, providing hackers a clear access to every device. It’s not always the manufacturers; users must also be prepared to embrace this innovative technology.

If individuals and businesses are willing to incorporate Industry 4.0 ideas, they must design effective security protocols to prevent cyber-attacks. Implying new technology and neglecting safety standards can attract emerging threats. The case mainly applies to businesses that run on a single cloud platform. Companies should design proper security to monitor each device individually. IoT devices must be able to detect malicious activity and shut down automatically if required. Botnets are real-time threats, and weak security of IoT devices are empowering them. So, before deploying any of these devices into your home or organization make sure that the security systems are architected perfectly.